Turnabout Dating Game
by sburbiangodtier
Summary: After hurling objections and insults at each other across an empty courtroom lobby, Miles Edgeworth and Phoenix Wright find themselves skirting each other in a game of wits and denied romance. Yaoi and language.
1. Objectionable Objections

**Well, here comes another new fandom! I recently got into the Phoenix Wright game series, and really love it! So, here is the result of an RP between me and Letovix, the one who got me into the series! Hope you enjoy it!**

**Phoenix Wright and all characters belong to Capcom.**

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"Well, Mr. Wright, I'd say that this trial is becoming quite tedious, don't you?" Miles Edgeworth smiled at his opposing rival, Phoenix Wright, as they walked out of the courtroom after yet another break in the trial of April Showers, a girl accused of murdering her mother by drowning her in their home at Peachtree Manor. The trial had lasted for nearly five hours, and in that amount of time, they'd gotten nowhere.

Phoenix nodded, rolling his eyes. "For once, I completely agree with you, Mr. Edgeworth."

Miles couldn't resist joshing the novice attorney a bit. Spats and arguments between the two were daily occurrences after his trial over three months ago. "'Mister'? Since when do _you_ use formalities outside the courtroom?"

"Since _you_ called me "Mister" first, you gay bastard!" Phoenix returned, scowling at the other man. He hated when Edgeworth called him on such stupid tittle-tattle. The man was picky, it was true, but did he have to nit-pick every damn thing Phoenix said?!

"This is true, but I'm always using formalities. I'm a gentleman, unlike yo-... What do you mean "gay"!? You have no proof that I'm of a homosexual nature! Gay. Please..." It was clear that Miles was uncomfortable with the accusation, as a dark blush crept up his neck and cheeks, making him look vulnerable. And Nick could just never resist goading the prosecutor on when it came to this particular subject.

"Oh come ON! You wear a freaking purple coat and a cravat! How much more gay can you get?!"

Edgeworth growled, glaring at the defense attorney. "It's MAGENTA, _Wright._ And cravats were a standard clothing item for aristocrats in the late 1800s! You have no evidence against me, and I'm CERTAINLY not going to confess, because I'm NOT gay. ...Since when are you a prosecuting attorney, anyway? When did we switch places?"

"Since we're not in a legal court of law! Outside of that courtroom, I can play the role of whoever I damn well please!" Miles was trying to switch the subject. Phoenix could easily tell that much. So he decided to humor the man for a moment, choosing to ask another misguided question. "So, why the hell ARE you wearing clothing from another century? Are you lost...? The Museum of National History is that way. Did you fall out of an exhibit or something?" _Oh, yeah. Let's see you answer that one, oh mighty prosecutor. _

"Very mature, Wright." Miles retorted. "But if you want to play it that way, then I can comply, I suppose." He cleared his throat before dramatically pointed at Phoenix's chest. "Why don't you get a tie that actually MATCHES your suit, Wright? If you're going to comment on my "incredibly gay pink suit", then how about getting yourself a tie that's not...oh, I don't know, PINK? Really, Wright, your observational skills are lacking when it comes to matters outside the courtroom." They had both stopped walking by this time, standing in the middle of the empty lobby.

"At least I'm not afraid to admit where my sexual orientation is involved!" Phoenix snapped, his face burning at the insult. "Face it, Edgeworth. You're in complete denial of your love for me!" Where had that come from?! Sure, he was completely and utterly in love with Miles Edgeworth, but he had only heard through rumors that Edgeworth returned the feelings, leading to the accusation. Still, it seemed like a good enough excuse to keep the argument going.

"Admit your sexual-? What!? Are you admitting to having feelings for me, Wright? Because I swear if this is a joke to attempt getting me out of the closet, you're going to be the victim in the next murder case. And they'll never catch me." Miles glared at the boy, watching as his facial expression turned from embarrassment to shock to irritation.

Phoenix had to fix his slip-up. He couldn't let Miles know about his feelings. Manly pride wouldn't let Edgeworth win this game. "Hah! _YOU?!_ I'd rather die than admit that I really do have feelings for you!" Shit. "Wait...nevermind. Forget I ever said that! Anyhow, I'm not trying to get you out of the closet...just trying to put together some pieces of the mysterious puzzle that you are." _Good save, Wright. Good save._

Miles caught the subtle message, a small grin trying to reach his lips. _I'll log that away for later... _He thought. "So...by blindingly accusing me of being interested in other men, you think that you can figure out who I am..? Interesting way of going about it. You know, if you wanted to get to know me more, you could have just asked me out for dinner or something." He stopped, his eyes wide and a small blush on his cheeks. "W-wait. Like...a friendly gentleman's _outing_ out, not...a _date_ out."

_Aha...so that's the way he's thinking, eh? Well, I'll just pretend I didn't hear it, and we'll go out to dinner...and I'll try to worm it out of him then. Perfect._ Phoenix thought, narrowing his eyes at the other. "Well, in that case, I'm very interested in learning more about you after all these years. I'm sure your past mistakes and screw-ups will make great table conversation. So...6:00 pm on Thursday night? Your house?"

Edgeworth considered that for a moment, mentally checking his calendar. "I...suppose that would be acceptable. But the only _mistakes_ I made involve befriending you anyway, so you're not likely to find anything new there." He smirked, pointing again at Phoenix. "Oh. And Wright? I'm sure that you have acceptable evening wear, yes? And no, that bright blue atrocity doesn't count. Wear your best, Wright, I won't be seen at any kind of restaurant with you in THAT."

Fuming, Phoenix replied, "Is that so? Well then, I don't want to be seen ANYWHERE that isn't a courtroom with you in that purple gaytard outfit!" He pointed back at Edgeworth, seething with irritation. "If I have to dress in my colonial best, you have to as well!"

Edgeworth stood up even straighter than he already was. "I beg your pardon, Wright, but this is my best suit! But if you insist..." He began to slip off the main _magenta_ jacket, revealing a simple black vest with a white, long-sleeved dress shirt on underneath. "Would this be acceptable to you, oh lord of fashion statements?"

Phoenix had to admit it. Edgeworth looked better without the coat...and the suit was indeed dressy. "Much better." He allowed himself to say. "Although, you could do without the silly buttons. I mean, come ON! They're pearl buttons! Only girls wear clothing with pearl buttons!"

"I'm not stripping for you, Wright." Was all that he said about that. "Anyway...wait, you can't drive. You plan on walking to my house? How about I just drive over and pick YOU up instead?"

Phoenix pouted at that. Was it his fault he'd surpassed the legal amount of times you could take your driver's education test? Who knew there was even a legal limit?! Well, he supposed after the hundredth time, literally, they had to stop somewhere. "I suppose that is...reasonable."

"Good." Edgeworth stated, slipping his suit coat back on. "Then I will be at your apartment at 6:00 pm, sharp. I don't believe in 'fashionably late' Wright, so be ready by then, or I'll leave without you." Nick rolled his eyes. He supposed that all he could do was hope Edgeworth didn't show up early...

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It was 5:30 pm on Thursday night, and Phoenix was STILL hunting through his closet for something suited to Miles' tastes. "Damn it!" he cursed, throwing a pair of khaki pants onto the pile of clothes that could rival his pile of paperwork this week. "Why the hell does he do this to me?! And it's nearly 6:00...shit!" A small knock on the door sent him whirling around. "Come in." He called out, wrapping his bathrobe around him more tightly. Maya entered, carrying a cup of tea. "Thought you'd need this. You're going to, if you--" She stared at him. "Why aren't you dressed yet?!" "Because Bitchface decided that he wanted me to dress to his standards."

Maya grinned. "So it IS a date! Nick, you sly dog, you said it was just an outing! It's a known fact that it's officially a date if you dress up. So is he paying for dinner, or are you?" She teased, nudging him. Phoenix blushed and opened his mouth to retaliate, but another knock on the door made him jump. "C-come in!" Edgeworth did just that, and made his way into the bedroom, looking quite dashing, poised as ever. He had replaced his black vest for a pinstripe blue one, and substituted his bright magenta pants for something a little more neutral: black. The rest of his outfit was basically the same, however: Shined black shoes, white, collared shirt and heaven forbid he get rid of his cravat! Maya whistled, and Edgeworth rolled his eyes upon spotting the pile of clothes on Phoenix's bed. "I knew it was a good idea to come early. Why aren't you dressed yet?" Maya grinned, fairly certain that Nick was going to use a different answer than the one he gave her.

"Oh...because...um...uh...my clothes...yeah...about them." A bead of sweat rolled down his neck, and he knew he was blushing. "I couldn't...find...anything." He said lamely. Great. The great defense attorney was speechless and sounding so stupid at the same time. Could this day get any worse?!

"Honestly, Wright, you're utterly hopeless, aren't you? Just wear something suitable for an evening out." He barged in and began rummaging through the pile of very unsorted clothes, but it took even him a whole ten minutes to find something for Nick to wear. "Here. Just wear this." He tossed Phoenix a pair of pinstripe, dark blue dress pants and a black dress shirt. "Those will do just fine. The shoes you usually wear will do as well, so hurry and get dressed."

"Fine, Mr. Fancy-Pants-Who-Just-Barges-Into-My-Room-and-Starts-Going-Through-My-Stuff, but you're going to get out!" And as Phoenix moved to push Wright out the door, he failed to remember that his bathrobe tie wasn't tied, and the robe fell open, revealing only his underwear. Miles' eyes immediately flew from the sight to the flushed face in front of him. "GET OUT!" Nick was desperate, and now it had just gotten worse! He slammed the door on Edgeworth's heels and leaned against it, his face three shades of red.

"Uhh...Nick?" Phoenix froze, and Edgeworth, who was still standing in front of the door, collided with Maya, who Nick threw out after realizing that she was still in the room. "Not very careful, is he?" "Nope. Definitely not." Nick emerged soon after, sporting the attire that Edgeworth had picked out for him, and Edgeworth stood from the couch, where he was sitting and conversing with Maya. "You look good, Wright. But I don't even want to see your ties, so I brought one of my own for you. Yours probably have cute little cartoon characters on them, or perhaps bright colors and bold patterns?" Reaching into his pocket, ignoring the looks Phoenix was shooting him, he pulled out a black and silver, triangular-striped tie, walking over to the defense attorney and hooking it around his neck, fixing it for him. "If I let you do it, then you'd just end up wrinkling it. It's pure silk after all. I always wear my cravat, so I don't need it."

Nick tried to pout at that, but with the occasional times when Edgeworth's fingers would brush against his bare neck and chin, it was near impossible. _His fingers are so soft...What?! No, I'm NOT thinking like that! No! No, no, no!_ But the blush on his face couldn't be denied, and so once Edgeworth pulled away, Phoenix turned away, trying to will his face back to normalcy. "Come on. Let's get this over with." He muttered, waving half-heartedly to Maya, who just grinned. "Keep him out as late as you want, Mr. Edgeworth! As late as you want..." Nick shot her a glare, but the answering grin was enough to know what her thoughts were.

The door shut behind them, and as they made their way to Edgeworth's car, the pink prosecutor couldn't help but ask. "'Get this over with'? If I recall, you WANTED to do this. Have you changed your mind?" Their heels clacked against the stone of the parking lot, and Edgeworth unlocked his fancy red sports car, getting in the driver's seat as Nick went for the passenger's side.

"I do want to do this, but your attitude is making it very hard for me. I don't even know..." Phoenix dropped his voice a few octaves, muttering under his voice. _"I don't even know why I like you so much…"_ Of course, he hoped that Edgeworth hadn't heard, so he simply buckled his seatbelt and settled back against the leather seat.

Luckily for Phoenix, the words were too horribly mumbled for Edgeworth to be able to understand most of them, so all he caught was "don't", "know", and "so much". He didn't pres on the matter. He sped away, (Not too fast mind you, the speed limit was only 50, and far be it for HIM to break the law.) and the two engaged in pleasant banter until Edgeworth pulled into a very nice looking restaurant that Phoenix _knew_ he couldn't afford. "This is why I wanted you to wear something nice. I come here on special occasions. Oh, don't give me that look Wright, I don't expect you to pay your own way, there's no way you can afford it. Don't worry. Tonight's dinner is on me. I'm sure you need to save as much money as possible anyway." he smirked, stepping out of the flashy car.

Phoenix's mouth dropped open then slammed shut again. He couldn't decide whether to press the issue or not. Maybe objecting would be a nice option. He climbed out of the car and slammed his hands on the hood. "Objection!" he yelled into the evening air. "Since when would you know or care about my financial state?!"

Edgeworth sent a very intimidating look over at Phoenix, and allowed his eyes to shift back and forth between his hands, which were still on the hood, and his face, the expression not looking quite so bold ever since Edgeworth's glare. "Well, if there's a dent on my hood, you won't be able to afford your own food ever again, because the repair bill for this will be sent to you." Nick hastily removed his hands from the car. No damage, other than a light smudge which he knew either Gumshoe or himself would have to clean. The relief was apparent by the look on his face. "I'll let you wipe that offending smudge away when we get back to your apartment." He knew it... "Now if you want to pay for your own food, far be it for me to stop you. By all means, go right ahead." And he began walking over to the building.

"Bastard." Phoenix muttered under his breath. "Damn...sexy...bastard." He ran his fingers through his spiky hair, his hands shaking. Then he followed Miles through the door that the prosecutor graciously held open for him. "Thanks..." he mumbled, his attention temporarily averted for a moment as he stared in awe at the fancy dining room, complete with cozy corners where waiters were playing violins softly for a few couples. "Wow."

Miles stepped up beside him, and casually whispered, "I'm sorry, but you DID say that you were paying for your own food, correct? Or did I mishear?" Phoenix didn't seem terribly amused, although Edgeworth certainly did. "Table for two." he told the waiter, who was giving the two some...interesting looks. "One check." The look just got even more interesting.

The waiter led them over to a table near the back, a quiet area of the room. That didn't surprise Phoenix. What surprised him was the fact that Miles went around and pulled out his chair, gesturing that Phoenix was to sit down. Well...he WAS a gentleman anyway. When Miles had settled down into his own chair, the waiter gave them two thick menus and said, "You have a very nice evening, you two." making Phoenix blush as dark as Edgeworth's usual magenta coat.

Yeah. This evening was going to be very interesting, indeed.

**Reviews are appreciated! :3 Hopefully you're enjoying our randomness so far. **


	2. A Lesson in Learning

**Here it is! The second chapter of Turnabout Dating Game! Leto-chan and I are so happy about the reviews! We hope to see more with this chapter. :3**

**By the way, I failed to mention it in the first chapter, but Miles Edgeworth is being roleplayed by Leto-chan, and I am playing the part of Phoenix Wright. Yeah. So now you know that. XD**

**Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth and all the other characters and locations in this story belong to Capcom. **

**The song "Fall For You" belongs to Secondhand Serenade. **

**Now, enjoy Chapter 2!**

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"Your face is red, Phoenix." The prosecutor commented without ever even looking up from the menu. That, of course, only made the other attorney's face flush even deeper. "I do hope you won't take what the garcon said to heart. They say it to everyone who gets a reservation here. It's not as if he was assuming we were 'together' or anything." He flipped a page, already having picked out his drink, (tea, of course,) and casually asked Nick what he wanted as an appetizer. "Money is no object. Anything you like."

"Can we get..." Phoenix was afraid to admit a rare delicasy for him, being the one who had less money than the other. "Potato skins with sour cream...with extra cheese and lots of bacon?" He almost had to laugh at the surprised expression on Edgeworth's face. Had he ever eaten such a delicious treat before in his life? He sipped his Pepsi tentatively, grinning boyishly up at Miles.

Steely grey eyes stared into pitch black ones. His glass of tea was just a few centimeters away from his open mouth, and he just sat there for a moment...staring. Finally, he put down the glass. "Wright...we're not eating fast food. Most anything fried will not be found on this menu, which...I suppose limits your choices, doesn't it? Use your head, Wright. Look at the menu." Nick tried. He really did, but there were so many things he wasn't sure if he'd like or not! A few things were familiar, such as the stuffed mushrooms, or the sauteed shrimp, (Those were appetizers?) but most of it was incredibly foreign... "...actually...I think I shall order for us. I think I know enough about your tastes to determine what you wouldn't hate." And when the waiter came back, Edgeworth ordered their appetizers: cheddar bread rolls and a small order of that shrimp.

He felt so awkward. Never before in his life had he ever felt so...vulnerable and awkward. Out of place. Phoenix stared at the fancy biscuits and shrimp, so prettily decorated on the plate, unsure whether he was supposed to use a fork or just pick it up with his hands. He stared at Edgeworth, who stared right back, both of them waiting for the other to make a move. "Um..." Phoenix's collar felt tight. _Damn it. Did he bring me here just to make a fool out of me?! The bastard..._

"Didn't you come here to get to know me better?" Edgeworth interrupted, sensing that the other could use a little help adjusting to his surroundings. "Ask anything. I'll answer to the best of my abilities." He picked up one of the biscuits and put it on one of the two smaller plates that were sitting on the table when they arrived, using one of his three forks to pick up the shrimp. He placed his napkin neatly and pristinely in his lap, leaning over the plate so he wouldn't drop any crumbs on himself. Phoenix wondered why he had the napkin on his lap, if that was the case. He truly looked like a gentleman, and suddenly, Nick felt way out of his league. "Just eat like you normally do, Wright. We're at a private table, no one's going to see you, and I'm certainly not going to think any less of you than I already do." Edgeworth wondered to himself why he had to be so critical all the time... They were supposed to be having an enjoyable evening out, and all he could do was make sarcastic remarks.

Cheeks burning under the shame of the reprimand, Phoenix meekly repeated Miles' actions, forking three of the shrimp onto his plate. He nibbled at the biscuit, but he couldn't swallow for the large lump in his throat. He wanted Miles to like him so badly...for some unknown reason...but all the prosecutor could do was critcize and scold him. "Okay." He mumbled, trying his best to perk up again, but failing miserably.

"I could teach you proper etiquette for a place like this if you _want._" Edgeworth stated, wiping his mouth from cheesy bread crumbs. "I'm just saying it's not necessary." He stared into Phoenix's eyes with a much different more kind look than the one back when Nick had slammed his hands on the car, and it made Phoenix blush, turning his attention back to his plate. "Shall I teach you?"

"Please." Phoenix whispered, barely audible over the quiet din of the dining area. His face already burned from the...dare he think it? The _affectionate_ expression on Miles' face. But now Miles was going to teach him how to eat? It was nigh humiliating! But...if he must, he must.

"You don't have to be so embarrassed Wright." the prosecutor mentioned. "von Karma raised me to be perfect, and that includes my palate. I was strictly raised to know how to do these things, and it's not as if the average person would know how to do them _unless_ they were raised that way. We'll start once you manage to get your face back to a normal color." A few minutes later, after the waiter had already come back and the two ordered their first course- salads- Phoenix managed to get his face a relatively normal shade, so Edgeworth decided to start with the salad. It seemed like a good place to begin. He picked up what he claimed to be the salad fork, going on to explain why it differed from regular forks, and the proper way to hold it, and all kinds of things that made Phoenix wonder the point of. Edgeworth was pretty understanding about everything though, and he went slow through the parts the raven-haired man seemed to be struggling with. Eventually, he stopped. "It's not a thorough explanation, but if I were to teach you everything, we'd be here all night. Do you think you'll be more comfortable now?"

"Um...yeah. This fork is used for eating salad. Got it." Phoenix pointed at a knife. "So...is this used for cutting the croutons into bite-sized pieces too?" He couldn't help getting snarky with Edgeworth. He knew the man meant well, but honestly, did he have to be so...so...condescending? And so...refined and eloquent and handsome when doing it? It was driving Phoenix crazy.

"Ha, ha, no it's not." He rolled his eyes. "That's a butter knife, and you use it for spreading butter. I thought that even _you_ would know that." he chided sarcastically. "Honestly Wright, I didn't bring you here to make fun of you. I thought it would be a place where we could eat and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere. Now tell me, are you relaxed?" He was staring Phoenix down again, this time with an expression that said 'I know you're not, because I've eaten here before and I'M not, but I'm going to make you say it anyway because I feel like being a jerk and sending you on a guilt trip'.

True to form, the question pricked Phoenix's tender heart, and he looked down. "You're right. I'm sorry." He looked back up at the prosecutor, forcing a grin. "We came here to talk. So...by all means...you start the conversation. Ask me anything you want. Be the prosecutor you are."

The statement caught Edgeworth off guard. He figured that Nick was the one who wanted to ask _him_ questions, but...he supposed there were some things he was curious about. He ran his finger over the rim of his tea glass, and questioned: "Alright then. So...what's it like, being a defense attorney? I wonder sometimes just how different our positions are, how it feels when you get someone declared innocent instead of guilty, things like that."

Phoenix paused to think about that one. "Well...when I find someone innocent...it's the best feeling in the world. The whole world seems at peace, and happiness...that's what I work for. But before that, it's very intense, trying to object the contradictions with the prosecutor interrupting me every few seconds." He smiled at Edgeworth. "I love being a defense attorney. I would never want to be anything else."

Edgeworth blushed lightly at the complete sincerity in the other's eyes, that...intense passion that was only ever seen inside the courtroom. Miles couldn't help but smile. "I see. I wish I could say that it's that much fun being a prosecutor. Watching the guilty carted away by the police, knowing that they're probably going to their death... Wondering if you got the right man... You only feel hatred, and the world seems far from at peace. You've shown me that it doesn't seem to matter how much evidence a person has against them, they could still be innocent, and...I suppose...that's made it so that the only attorney I honestly trust is you. I've been so certain that I was right before, and then I found out that you were the one I was to face in court, and I instantly knew that the case was not in my favor. Thanks to you, even in the courtroom, I can't even trust myself anymore, unless I'm actually facing you."

"Tell me something, Miles." Phoenix said, leaning forward slightly. "I can understand that you wanted the guilty to suffer after your father died, but...why are you still in the profession now? You obviously don't like it. Heck, if I knew my mentor was the one who really killed my father, I would immediately get my ass out of the business." His legs stretched out and Phoenix's eyes became wide as his ankle got hooked with Miles'.

Miles tensed at the feeling of the other male's foot brushing against his, and he sighed, leaning back in his chair. "You've taught me that too, Wright. It's not about finding the person guilty, and it's not about finding them innocent. It's about finding the truth. We may be on opposite sides of the courtroom, but we ultimately have the same goal." He paused to sip at his tea. At the rate he was going, he'd need a refill soon... "Besides, regardless of the way I always seem to fuss at you, or insult you...I actually find myself unable to dislike you, though heaven knows I've tried." he smirked. "And it's not as if I dislike my job, no. I rather enjoy my job most of the time, it's only the verdict I detest now, and as I mentioned, that's only when you're not my opponent."

"You know...when you're not being such a bitch, you're actually rather easy to like yourself." Phoenix admitted. "I mean, I saw a different side of you during your trial. You were more open. Vulnerable. And honestly, it hurt to see my childhood chum being vultured by the one he once revered." He reached across the table, patting Edgeworth's hand. "I never want to see you hurt that way again." It was at that inopportune moment that the waiter decided to come back to order their meals. He caught sight of Phoenix's hand on Edgeworth's and merely arched an eyebrow. But the look was enough for both men to pull their hands back quickly. But now, Wright looked expectantly at Miles, who was going to order for both of them.

Edgeworth cleared his throat uncomfortably. Perhaps it would've been better just to eat a picnic lunch in the park..? "I'll have the grilled Asian chicken, mashed potatoes and sweet peas on the side. For him... Wright, you like fish, yes?" Phoenix nodded. "Grilled tilapia with lemon, a baked potato and corn on the side." They handed over their menus and the waiter rushed off to fill their order. Edgeworth tried to shift his leg, and that was when he realized...his ankle was still locked with Phoenix's. "A-umm... Wright...could you...move your ankle please?" He found it very distracting, and he couldn't help but allow his face to turn a pale shade of pink once more. Even if he did have feelings for the other man...and he was most certainly not saying that _he_ had romance-based feelings towards another man...but even if he did, playing footsie...it was just too embarrassing!

"Oh! Sorry...I nearly forgot about that." Phoenix's face was a lovely shade of red as he pulled his foot away. "I didn't intend that on purpose, Miles, you must know that." Then he looked down. "Thanks for ordering for me. I...I love...tilapia." Another awkward moment passed, before Wright looked up again. "So...tell me something that's been bothering me for a while. Where did you go after you transferred from our school back in 4th grade?"

"Various places." he said with a dull tone. It didn't seem to be a terribly good memory for him, and Phoenix could fully understand why. "I wound up trying to live with my grandmother for a while... But she became ill, and after a few months, had to be admitted to the hospital. A nine year old boy couldn't very well take care of his ailing grandmother, so she regretfully had to send me to an orphanage. von Karma tracked me down and adopted me not terribly long after my eleventh birthday, and by this time, I had forgotten about his involvement in the trial." He took me back to his country and homeschooled me, saying that the educational system in Germany wasn't perfect enough. And you know the rest." he frowned. He wanted to forget about von Karma. Forget about the trial. Forget everything devastating that had ever happened to him.

There was another question that bothered Phoenix, though he knew it might open up another can of worms. "What...what about...your mom? What happened to her?"

Edgeworth shrugged. "I wish I remember. You noticed, didn't you? When we were still young children? She was never around when you came over, right? I've been raised by my father for as long as I can remember... I think I was told once that she had died a few years after I was born, but I was young. I don't really remember." The prosecutor shook his head. "But that's all in the past. I want to hear more about you. You've really made a name for yourself... Are you staying busy?" He took another cheddar biscuit and broke it half, munching on it slowly.

Phoenix shrugged. "Well, I get cases here and there. Especially now. But I can't take credit for any of it. Mia's the one who got me this far. And...and you." He blushed slightly, but he could speak nothing but the truth as he nibbled at one of his shrimp.

Edgeworth looked up in surprise. "Me?" he asked. "I haven't done anything to further your career, Wright. If anything, I've only served to harm it." He was a bit startled once the waiter, who he hadn't even realized had come back, offered to refill their drinks. They got their refill, and the waiter informed them that their meals would be out shortly before slipping away. "So...what have I done that helped you?"

"Well, you challenged me." Phoenix pointed out, sipping his soda again. "You made me rise to the challenge and believe that there was always room for improvement. You taught me that no matter what the outcome is, I should always see the best in people, no matter how horrible the crime is." Okay. That was really sappy. But it was the truth, right? He leaned on the table, putting his elbows on the surface as he stared at Miles. "You seem shocked that you actually taught something good for a change." He laughed.

"I'm just shocked that... Well, I never imagined that I... I never knew I had inspired you in such a way." he finished lamely, absentmindedly rubbing his finger on the table. He had always thought that the other man was always annoyed with how he acted. He was never very polite to him, and he had a sarcastic and sometimes bitter sense of humor, much different than the black-haired man in front of him... He often wondered why Phoenix still hung around him.

"Ah, well, inspiration comes from unexpected places, eh?" Phoenix commented, quickly dropping the subject as their food suddenly appeared in front of them, courtesy of the waiter. "Thanks." He said, to which the waiter nodded. "Enjoy your meal, gentlemen." Mmmm, the tilapia smelled so good! His mouth watered, but he watched Edgeworth first, making sure he was using his dinner fork, and not his dessert fork!

"Wright, just eat." Miles smirked, although by force of habit, he picked up the fork he was _supposed_ to use. "You look more like a fool when you're staring at your forks like they're radioactive than actually picking up the wrong one." And with that sentence, he dug in.

"Haha, very funny, Edgey." Phoenix pretended to laugh as he cut into the fish. It smelled even better when it was cut! He bit into a small portion of it and sighed happily. "I haven't had food like this since...I don't know when!"

Edgeworth cringed. "Don't call me 'Edgey', I find it repulsive. And yes, I know that Larry calls me that. That's exactly my point." He took a bite of his sweet peas. "I must admit, Wright, eating here is a luxury, even for me. As I stated before, I only come here on special occasions. I came here when I first became a prosecutor, when I won my first case...and the day after I knew I wasn't the one who'd shot my father." He took another bite of his peas, and immediately went to start on his potatoes.

"And...why is this...a special occasion?" Phoenix questioned, slipping another bite of fish into his mouth. He leaned across the table, watching Miles eat. It was kind of...interesting...to watch him this way. The way he slipped equal portions of each bite into his mouth at a regulated pace, the slowness with which he chewed...Phoenix was facinated. And not just because of the way Miles was eating...no. It was more than that.

Swallowing, the prosecutor sipped at his drink before speaking. "It's our first true gentleman's outing, just the two of us. We've been out with the others before, but I don't suppose we've ever just been out together." He didn't bother to think that his words could be misinterpreted, but the question made his heart speed up anyway. He couldn't very well say that he liked to think of it as a date after all, could he? Although he found that he often reprimanded himself for thinking such thoughts. _'No, you can't think of him that way! Two men, one a prosecutor, one a defense attorney..? It's wrong on several different accounts! You must never think like that!'_

Phoenix laughed. "Gentleman's outing? What is this, a grand tea party with tea and crumpets? Just call it a...a..." He put his fingers to his lips. "What WOULD we call it?" _A date! A date! No...you can't think like that. Even though he acts like he likes you, you might be misinterpreting it! Don't think of it that way, even though you want to, Wright!_ "We could call it...hanging out. As friends. Yeah."

Edgeworth's eyebrows raised. "Hanging out..." he smirked. "Like when we were kids, I suppose?" He had to admit, he did enjoy their time when they were still small, even if it was cut short. He didn't have terribly many good friends, and Phoenix and Larry had become his best... Suddenly, Edgeworth spoke up again. "Hanging out is fine. It makes us sound like old chums, which I suppose we are, so that's good."

That made him feel warm. Nick could feel it spreading from his chest to his fingertips. "So...we can do this more often?" He asked, his eyes shining eagerly.

Edgeworth took it into consideration. "I believe we could. Don't expect me to bring you here every time though, because it really is quite expensive, and even a prosecutor can go broke if they spend too much." He poked around his plate with his fork. "I like the park though. It's relaxing, and a good place to...'hang out'." He bit into his chicken, the food having finally been cooled, and hummed. "It's even better than I remember."

"What about the movies? And...and the beach?" Okay, so Wright was grasping at dating straws here, but he couldn't help it! He wanted so badly for Miles to like him, but he wasn't going to just come out and say it.

The sudden suggestions surprised Miles a bit. He thought he should really be used to Phoenix's outbursts by now, but it would seem that he would never truly get used to them. "I do like those places as well, but I didn't say we were strictly limited to the park. It's a nice place, but going there every time...we would eventually run out of things to do."

Phoenix was delighted. So Miles DID want to spend more time with him! He finished off his dinner, setting down his fork and drinking a bit more of his soda. "By the way...thank you."

Taking another bite of his chicken, the dish nearly gone, he looked up...and smiled. Not one of his sarcastic smirks, not one of those 'I'm superior to you' grins, not a fake 'I'm smiling because it's polite'...a real smile. "You are quite welcome. I must say it was...interesting talking with you like this. Not a bad experience, if I must say." The waiter came back and asked them if they needed anything else. When Phoenix said that he didn't need any dessert, the check was given to Miles, and the prosecutor finished his meal. "You can go on back to the car. I'll finish up here. And he tossed Phoenix the keys. "You are not to start the car, understand? Use these to unlock the door, and that's it." Well...at least Nick knew he was still Edgeworth.

Nick pouted for a moment, then nodded, standing up and heading out the door to wait for Miles. He sat in the front passenger seat, the key in the ignition. He wondered why he wasn't allowed to start the car. He'd never failed that, at least! It was so tempting, but as he reached over to touch the keys, there was Edgeworth, glaring at him through the window. He pulled his hand back quickly with an innocent face.

He sat himself down. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you were just going to play with them." he stated, soon starting the car. It barely made a sound as the engine came to life. "And I'm a prosecutor. I never give people the benefit of the doubt. You should feel lucky, Wright." He pulled out of the parking lot, and they were on their way. "Hey, Wright?" Edgeworth stated after a few minutes of peaceful silence. "I don't really want to go home yet...shall we head to Gourd Lake? I'd like to have an enjoyable evening there for once."

Blushing, Phoenix gave his consent. They drove a few blocks more when the defense attorney asked to listen to the radio. They both reached for the knob at the same time, their hands bumping against each others'. "Oh...sorry." Phoenix muttered, reaching for it again when he thought Miles was going to pull his hand away. Their hands bumped again and Nick knew his face was three shades of red as he pulled his hand back finally.

He didn't know what was wrong. His heart was starting to beat faster, and he suddenly wished that he could just reach out and hold the hand that he had merely brushed against before. He advised against it. Turning on the radio and flipping channels, Edgeworth finally stopped at a "top 20" station, figuring that it would play things they'd both be interested in.

Phoenix's fingers were tingling, his throat was dry, and his heart was beating erractically. But no. He wouldn't give in to his impulses. That radio thing had been no trick. An accident. That's what it was. But all the same... He sighed and closed his eyes until he heard the song on the radio. It was one he knew, so he started to sing softly. _The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting. Could it be that we have been this way before? I know you don't think that I am trying...I know you're wearing thin down to the core. _His eyes widened with the irony of the song and he tried to smile and laugh to dispel the feeling. "You like Secondhand Serenade? I never knew."

As the chorus played, filling the car with music, Edgeworth glanced over at Phoenix for a brief moment. "You didn't think I was the kind to be solely into classical, did you? I can assure you, I'm honestly not that fond of it, although there are a few pieces that I like." Edgeworth began to hum the last few notes of the chorus, and when the next lines were sung, he sung quietly along with them, hoping that the music would drown out his own singing. It didn't. _'This is not what I intended. I always swore to you I'd never fall apart. You always thought that I was stronger. I may have failed, but I have loved you from the start'_

Phoenix couldn't help but blush at the words Edgeworth was singing. The man was a good singer, honestly. _So breathe in so deep. Breathe me in, I'm yours to keep. And hold onto your words cuz talk is cheap. And remember me tonight when you're asleep..."_ He sang along again, blushing furiously. Of all songs, this one had to come on at that particular moment! Where was the bitter irony in that?!

Edgeworth parked outside Gourd Lake...just as the song was going off. He turned off the engine and allowed the last few notes to be played before opening the door, whatever tune was starting next immediately coming to an end, and inhaled the evening air. Gourd Lake... Ever since the incident, he rarely ever came here. That time, he had felt so helpless, and alone... And then, even though all odds were against him, Phoenix had stood up for him...and won. It had touched him, and he supposed that's when those odd feelings for the other male had truly begun to surface. The sharp slamming of a car door shook him out of his thoughts, and he looked over to see Phoenix, just staring a the entrance gate. He hadn't even realized he had been daydreaming. It was so unlike him...

"Wow. It hasn't changed much, has it?" Phoenix commented as they walked toward the entrance. They got the night guard to give them entrance once they'd shown their badges and began to walk towards the lake itself. The cool night air wrapped around Phoenix, and he found himself appreciating the stillness of the evening, the chirping of the crickets, and the presense of the other man beside him. "I haven't been here since the Incident." He said, hoping to engage in some friendly banter with Miles, who was strangely quiet beside him. Rightly so.

"I've only come here once since." he began, slowing his pace, his hands in his pockets. "Larry called me out here so he could show me his new hot dog marketing campaign. I told him no, but even then he pestered me with calls, and I eventually blocked his number from my phone. Then he started to call Gumshoe, who in turn called me, telling me that a 'Mister Harry Butz' wished to talk with me, and 'it sounded urgent'. I hung up. Once Larry started to call my office phone, however...I couldn't very well unplug it, as there might actually be an important call, so I was forced to come back." They stood in silence for not but a few seconds, the two men having stopped sometime during the conversation, and suddenly, Edgeworth broke the silence. "Tell me again why we're friends with him..?" he questioned, eying the hot dog stand with slight distaste.

Hiding his face in his hands, Phoenix shook his head. There it was. The hot dog stand in all its Pink Princess glory. "Oh my god...Larry's insane. Does he not have anything better to do with his time? Oh well." He looked around, spotting an off-the-trail path through the woods. "Maybe we can find a quieter, more decent place over there, Miles." The attorney pointed into the darkness. They began to walk, soon stumbling upon a lone bench that sat with a perfect view of Gourd Lake. It was so quiet here...much more intimate. Phoenix couldn't help a shudder. But why?

It was incredibly peaceful, Edgeworth noted, and it was a good place so just sit and think in the cool night air. He seemed to remember hearing something about the first witness in his trial camping here...but he shrugged that off. As they walked towards the bench, the soft crunch of fallen leaves and the sharp crack of dead twigs under their feet seemed so loud in comparison to the overall quietness surrounding the lake, and it gave Edgeworth a chill, like something out of a horror film. They at last reached their destination, the bench slightly damp from the moist lake air, and sat down in a comfortable silence, both just enjoying the company of the other.

------

They continued to talk into the late evening hours. Phoenix felt that he'd never known so much about Miles in all of his life knowing him. Not that he was complaining. It was wonderful to spend time with the one usually considered his rival of sorts, hearing him open up about anything and everything he asked. But soon, Miles looked at his watch and mentioned the time. "1:00 am?!" Phoenix squeaked, his mouth dropping open slightly. He should have known. The wind had picked up a bit, the air nippy with the early spring temperatures. He shivered slightly. He should have thought to grab a coat before they'd left.

He stood, figuring it would be best if they left as soon as possible. It really was late, after all, and no telling what that Fey girl thought about them staying out till this hour... He was a bit sad that they had to go what seemed like so soon, though, as he wasn't used to just hanging around with friends for purely leisurely purposes, and he found it was quite nice for stress relief. He had actually been having...fun. Just like they used to at age nine... It made Miles feel so calm and peaceful, and heaven knows he didn't get enough of that in his life. But now, it was time to go, and he thought, _'At least I get to stay with him for a little while longer while I drive him home.'_ He could hear the crunch of natural debris, such as twigs, as Phoenix followed him back up the path they took to get there, and every once in a while, he would turn around, as if to make sure the footsteps were really Nick's. After a few minutes, they made it back to the car, and they were on their way.

**------**

**There you have Chapter 2! Please, please, **_**please**_** leave reviews if you can. We appreciate them more than you know! **

**(On a side note, Letovix and I have decided that "Fall For You" is like, Phoenix and Miles' official song. As declared by us. XD)**


	3. Confessions of a Nervous Prosecutor

When they arrived back at the apartment, Phoenix suddenly found himself rather unwilling to get out of the car and end the evening. He shifted in his seat to look at Miles for a moment. "Well, thanks for such a great evening. I really enjoyed it. And...thanks for dinner and the lesson too." He smirked teasinly. "Maybe I'll make you my date for the formal defense attorney banquet in September." At Edgeworth's shocked gaze, Nick shook his head. "Just kidding!" He opened the door and looked back. "Well, see ya later, Edgeworth." At Miles' quiet goodbye, he shut the door, walking back into the apartment building. He'd gotten no further than his apartment door when he was pounced by Maya. "Wha--Maya! What are you still doing here?!" "How was your date with Mr. Edgeworth, huh? Huh? Did he kiss you goodbye?" "What?! No!" Ugh, forget what he'd thought earlier. THIS was going to be a long night.

-----

Stepping into the solitude of his bedroom, Edgeworth slipped off his cravat, laying it carefully in its usual position, folded on the nightstand. He continues to undress, having full intentions of going to bed, and as his clothes were tossed against the wall, falling just short of landing in the laundry basket, he went to his closet for his usual pink PJs. He sighed, the bed creaking softly under his weight as he sat, his shoes having been kicked off at the door. The lights already out, he laid back, pulling the covers up to his shoulders. He couldn't stop thinking about him...but there was no way that he could ever act upon the desires he kept secret, even from himself. Sleep overtook him before he really knew what was going on, and as he saw the numbers on his clock just change to one fifty-eight, he fell unconscious.

_It was dark. The warehouse was completely empty, save for the two lawyers inside, and the pistol in Phoenix's hand. A surge of panic slammed into the prosecutor as his mind registered what the weapon was for. "No!" he cried, horror apparent as the barrel was lifted to the defense attorney's throat. "Phoenix, please, I beg you, don't do it!" _

_His gaze was met with one far less enthusiastic. The tone that soon rang out, the expression on his face...everything about him radiated an intense cold and, quite honestly, it terrified Miles. _

_"Sorry, Edgeworth, but...I know the truth. You don't really care, do you? You act like you do...but that's only because you don't want human blood on your hands. You never gave any indication before, so...why should I believe that you actually care for me now?" _

_"W-Wright, I-!" _

_"Oh, I don't think you'll get through to me just by knowing my name, Edgeworth." Phoenix cocked the gun, a soft click echoing through the room, although to the prosecutor, it sounded more like a cannon. He couldn't...he wasn't going to... "NO!!!" _

_"This is going to look pretty bad for you when they find us, locked in here. Good luck finding someone who'll defend you." _

_The shot fired._

Edgeworth gasped Phoenix's name into the night as he bolted out of bed. It felt like he was drowning, and it had nothing to do with his body being coated in a cold sweat. The defense attorney, usually so cheerful, so energetic, looking so cold, hatred shining through his eyes... Edgeworth shuddered, and his gaze shot to the clock. That was it. He needed to tell Phoenix the truth, three in the morning be damned.

-----

Nick's dreams were far more peaceful. There was ice cream. Lots of it. And a smiling Miles staring at him over the giant banana split they were sharing. It looked like something out of a movie set in the 50's. But sadly, their big musical number was not to be, for his cell phone rang, jarring him out of his dream. Phoenix rubbed his eyes, wiping a bit of drool from the side of his mouth, and picked it up. Seeing Edgeworth's name on the caller ID, he was startled. Looking at the clock for a brief moment, he did a double take. _What is Miles doing calling me at 3 am?_ He thought, flipping it open. "Hey, Edgeworth? What's up?" He asked, his voice groggy with sleep.

"You live within walking distance of your office, correct?" The frantic tone was enough to tell Phoenix that something was wrong... "Y-yeah... Why?" The prosecutor spoke quickly. "I need to talk to you, now, and in person. I'll be at your office in twenty minutes, so get down there as fast as you can."

"Edgeworth, it's late. Can't this wai-"

"No. No, Wright, it can't. Please try to understand." and he hung up, leaving Phoenix a bit concerned, wondering what was so important that he had to tell him in person at three a.m. Elsewhere, pink pants quickly went on over Edgeworth's boxer-briefs, and his usual white shirt, black vest and magenta coat soon made their way onto his body as well. The cravat was snatched up carelessly, and he put it on while he walked, grabbing his keys from the little bowl on the table beside the door. He shook out his bed-head and was on his way no more than two minutes after he called, and as he drove down the road, he could feel his stomach tighten, and his heart beat at a rapid pace.

Nick was at a loss for words as he ran down the street, clad only in his boxers, blue bathrobe, and slippers. From the sound of urgency in Miles' voice, he couldn't be bothered with clothes at the moment. He ran up to the door of Wright & Co. Law Offices, unlocked it, and hurried inside. His heart beat almost erratically as he sat down on the couch in the lobby. Something was wrong with Edgeworth. Something was very, very wrong.

-----

The keys jingled softly and engine cut off, Edgeworth stuffing the keys in his pocket hastily as he stepped out of his car. The door slammed, but as soon as his gaze was met with the tall, looming building before him, he froze, his nerve suddenly lost. Phoenix was already there... He knew because the light was on in the main office room. He waited out there for a few moments, but he soon thought of Phoenix, sitting inside the room all alone, wondering if everything was okay, hoping that the frantic sounding prosecutor wasn't having a mental breakdown, and he managed to step forward. His shaking hand reached for the knob...and when he opened the door, he heard Phoenix call from the back room. "Edgeworth?" "Y-yes..." "I'm back here!" He walked around the corner, and blushed furiously, turning his head away quickly. "W-Wright, why are you dressed like that!? When I said get down here quickly, I didn't mean risk getting arrested for indecent exposure!"

"Who's indecent?" Phoenix retorted, standing up. At least I have clothes on! Just think of that!" He pulled his bathrobe closer to him, tying the garment in a knot. "There. Is that better?" He asked, but then cut himself off from his next remark when he saw Edgeworth's facial expression. "What's wrong?"

Edgeworth swallowed. Hard. He took in a quiet, shuddering breath, and began to walk over to the couch where Phoenix sat. "You'll want to sit back down, Wright..." and Phoenix did just that. There was an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air, neither one really wanting to break it, but the tension borderline unbearable. Finally, Edgeworth cleared his throat, and Phoenix jumped. "W-Wright..." His words, barely above a whisper, scared Phoenix. The prosecutor never spoke like that unless something was gravely wrong. Edgeworth just couldn't find his words... He was usually so eloquent. "There's something I need to discuss with you. Wright...I need to know something. If I told you some kind of horrible secret that I had...something that I've been hiding, even from myself, for...a long time...what would you say? Would you think any differently about me? And...would you turn me away if you knew that this secret would have a great effect on you as well?" He could feel them. Tears. They were hiding, just beneath the surface, and they were already making their way forward. He tried to blink them away, but that only made them come faster, his vision clouding with the unshed liquid. "Would you even _want_ to know..?"

Phoenix was greatly confused. Was Edgeworth bringing up the DL-6 incident again? He thought the man was over that! Nonetheless, he decided to go along with it. "I can't imagine what could be so horrible, but I could never think myself the type to abandon you for such a thing. And...even if it involved me...I wouldn't mind. I'd do my very best to help you out." He gazed openly at Edgeworth, seeing how the man stared back, his eyes glistening. Was Edgeworth...crying? Was he scared? Nervous? What? Phoenix leaned over and put his hand over Miles'. "What's wrong?"

His body visibly tensed under Phoenix's 'comforting' touch, though Edgeworth couldn't help but feel that it wasn't doing him terribly much good. His heart only began pumping faster, his thoughts all flooding through his mind at once, and he let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. He murmured..._something_, but it was so quiet and so mumbled that Phoenix had to ask him to repeat it. "I said, I'm not sure you'd be so eager to help if I actually told you what's been on my mind..." He turned his hand around, holding the other's more tightly, but soon let go, pulling back. His throat felt tight, and he could no longer swallow easily. His eyes stung with tears that were beginning to fall, and he silently cursed himself. _"Demon Prosecutor" indeed... Shedding tears so easily..._

This whole situation was starting to alarm Phoenix. "Damn it, Edgeworth, just tell me what is wrong! You're scaring me." His heart thundered in his chest, his breathing hitched. "Please...just tell me already." He reached out and wiped away the tear sliding down Miles' cheek with his thumb, pulling back immediately when he felt Edgeworth stiffen.

The thumb on his cheek only caused more tears to flow, though he was still doing a fairly good job of keeping them in check, but the worried look on Phoenix's face made Miles feel guilty. The man was going to worry sick about him until he was told, but Edgeworth...he just couldn't get the courage to say anything! The palm of his hand met his face, and he sniffled. "Wright... I thought I had lost you..."

Shaking his head, Phoenix whispered, "What are you talking about, Edgeworth? I'm right here. We just had a really fun evening together. How could you have lost me?" Something was not right here. Miles was acting really odd. He was definitely not himself, and Phoenix was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"I thought you were dead! Gone forever... I finally stop having nightmares about my father's death, and now...you're in his place." The surprised look on Phoenix's face told that he understood. Edgeworth sniffed again and he took his hand away from his face. He was losing control... He could feel himself starting to lose it. Phoenix would never act that way. That's not who he was. It never would be. He knew that, so why was he still afraid of what happened? _'I love him...'_ That's why. _'I...I love him! I can't keep denying this, it's bad for me! I...I need to tell him! So why can't I..? No. If I don't say it now, he...he might...'_ "I love you."

His words were so quiet, Nick again had to ask for a repeat. Edgeworth's shoulders heaved as he let out a silent sob. "I love you! Damn it, Wright, what will it take for you to notice!? It should've been obvious, but you're just so..._incompetent!_ Incompetent, and so carefree, and everything always comes so easily to you, and...and I love you! And I don't want any words of disgust, Wright, because I'll be leaving once I regain my composure anyway! I'm sorry that I called you out here so early in the morning for something like _this_, but...you held the gun up to yourself and I felt like I was just about to die when I saw you pull the trigger. I couldn't keep it inside anymore, and...tomorrow we can just go our separate ways, and you never have to see me again if you don't want to." His body was still tense, awaiting Phoenix's response. Would they just sit there? Would Nick kick him out right then? Would he ever want to see him again..?

-------

Miles' confession left Nick breathless. He held a finger to the babbling prosecutor's lips, silencing him, as they stared at each other. "Miles...I..." _You what? You know you love him too! So why not just tell him that? And what was that about the nightmare? Miles Edgeworth...is afraid? Of losing me! He loves me that much that...he would be afraid to lose me._ "I..." _Damn it, Phoenix, just say it!_ But he couldn't say it. The words wouldn't leave his lips. Then he figured out why. While he'd been angsting over how to tell Miles of his true feelings, apparently his lips had other ideas. He let out a soft moan, then a surprised sound when he pulled away from a tender kiss with the man who had just declared his love for him. His first kiss. He stared at Edgeworth, panting from need of oxygen. "Miles." He breathed.

Tears still clung to the corners of his eyes, but the general tear flow had stopped when Phoenix... _'H-...he kissed me!'_ Miles thought, the action finally registering through the shock. His expression clearly showed what he was thinking...but he was a prosecutor. He had been for so long, that now...he automatically thought the worst of people. He inhaled, his mind finally able to tell his lungs to breathe, and turned away, gazing at a faded stain he only just noticed on the floor. "Wright... I know what I just told you is despicable, but you don't have to make fun of me... I was serious."

"So was I." Phoenix returned seriously. He gazed hard at the shaken man. Sometimes Miles was so...hard to read. "And it wasn't despicable. It was...nice. It made me feel warm right here." He grabbed the prosecutor's hand and guided it to his chest, where Miles could feel Phoenix's heart racing. "I know that you can't take me seriously sometimes, Miles, but for this once, please...please do."

Edgeworth's mind wouldn't sit still enough for him to sort out his thoughts. He was confused, anxious, and even a little panicked. Before he knew what he was doing, he pulled his hand away, his steely-grey eyes locked with the brownish-black ones owned by the defense attorney. "How can you say something like that so easily!? We...we're both men, and we stand on _opposite_ sides of the courtroom! This is wrong! N-no, I can't...I can't let you accept my feelings! If anyone found out, it would be the end of your caree-!" He froze. A few words were able to find their way sloppily from around the lips covering his own, but after a few failed attempts, he eventually tried his hand at kissing back. He didn't think it was..._too_ bad... Then, it wasn't as if he had experience kissing other men... "Mgh...Wright..." he pulled back, breathing a slight bit heavier than usual. Desperation glittered in his eyes, though his expression was still kept relatively normal. Phoenix had always admired how Edgeworth could do that. "I'm...sorry, Wright. I called you all the way down here so early, making you think something was seriously wrong...and it just turns out to be this. I hope I didn't frighten you too terribly."

Phoenix let out a nervous laugh. "You had me terrified, Edgeworth. I thought you were going to tell me some horrible news, like you had cancer or something. But this...this is the best news I've heard in a long time!" He sucked in a breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out. "I mean, I don't care if we're a defense attorney and prosecutor. I know that I love you, and that's all that matters. And just so you know, I _was_ telling the truth about my sexual orientation earlier." He flashed a grin. "Think of it as Romeo and Juliet...unless that bastard von Karma kept you from reading Shakespeare as well."

It seemed that Edgeworth hadn't gotten to the point where he could laugh just yet. So instead, he smirked. "No, I was rather well educated in those book-shaped sleeping pills. And I'd rather not compare us to those two. I can't for the life of me figure out why two lovers killing each other is romantic. It's more like some kind of occult horror story if you ask me." Phoenix let out a chuckle, and Edgeworth felt a hand on his once again. "S-so...you weren't just being a jerk when you kissed me earlier? You really meant it?" He was losing his skepticism rather quickly, and he was starting to calm down. He could physically feel his heart slowing to a normal pace, and the ringing in his ears was no longer unbearable. It still felt as if his stomach had been invaded by butterflies, but overall, he was starting to feel much more normal. Until he remembered that Phoenix wasn't only wearing boxers on under a _very_ loosely tied robe... The only real side effect to that, though, was a pink tint to his cheeks.

"Why would you think that?" Phoenix questioned, leaning closer. "And...since when am I ever a jerk?" He laughed softly. "I think my amazing romantic ways have gone to your head, Miles, dearest." Edgeworth was so cute when he stared at Phoenix like that! Honestly, why had they ever disliked each other in the first place? But...maybe...maybe he should play hard to get. After all, Edgeworth seemed to like games like that.

Edgeworth bowed, as he was so used to in court. "Oh yes, my lord, you look _incredibly_ dashing in your _amazingly_ romantic attire. I don't know how I've been able to keep myself off of you for so long." He smirked again, Phoenix rolling his eyes, And Edgeworth leaned back on the couch, sighing to help his muscles loosen and relax. "I suppose that...there's really no reason for us to merely stay friends after this, is there?" The hand under his tensed, and it was only then that he had realized he was squeezing it gently. "I had always assumed that once confessions were made, the two people in question were a couple by default, even if they didn't truly act upon their desires. But I suppose...that we just did. Does that officially makes us an 'item' now?" His body felt lighter, not quite so tense. Being a prosecutor, he should've known that telling the truth from the beginning would have been the best way to go about it, but the risks had seemed too great at the time.

An awkward silence hung heavy in the air. Phoenix looked at Edgeworth for a long moment, a silly grin on his face. "I...I guess so." He replied. "So...we're...lovers? Boyfriends? Engaged?" The last thought made him choke on a laugh. It was simply too early for that. But the look on Edgeworth's face...priceless. "I'm kidding, you idiot."

"I know that!" Edgeworth snapped, releasing the attorney's hand and crossing his arms. He was pouting quite childishly for being a renowned prosecutor... "Joking or not, the mind can perceive things that are not truly there by simply thinking of certain images. It's called _'imagination'_, Wright. And...you should wear a black suit to court sometimes. It looks nice on you." He thought for a moment, the only sounds heard in the room being city noises from outside, and seemed to come to some kind of decision. "'Lovers' is acceptable. We're..." he swallowed, and it seemed that the next words didn't exactly come easy for him. "We're lovers."

A helpless grin stretched across Phoenix's face, and without a word, he wrapped his arms around Miles' neck in a hug. "I'm glad." He whispered, before pulling away. "So...what do we do now?"

Mulling it over, Edgeworth could only shake his head. "It's not as if I have terribly much knowledge of homosexual relationships, Wright, I've no idea what comes next." His fingers found their way though his hair, and he glanced at the clock that Phoenix kept on the wall. Three fifty-eight a.m. It was so early, but he didn't feel tired. He was wide awake now, and it seemed that the other man was as well, the way his eyes were so wide, and bright, and full of life, and oh shit, Edgeworth was getting lost in those dark orbs. The memory of the other man's mouth over his own made his lips tingle, and he licked them. It had been so wrong...but it felt amazing. And if he could do it again...he would. They were lovers now. They probably would do it again, and the thought made Edgeworth's heart beat even faster.

Under Miles' intense gaze, Phoenix's face flushed and he looked away shyly for a moment. "Well...um...I've seen it in movies...that um...after the confession of undying love is made, the lovers...um...make out?" He chuckled weakly, the flush growing more and more scarlet with each word. "But...I'm sure you don't want to do that, right?"

Miles' immediate reaction was a smirk. "What kind of movies have you been watching, Wright?" If Phoenix's face hadn't already been the color of over-ripe tomatoes, then Miles was sure that it would've grown a darker shade. "It's going to take a bit for me to fully understand this situation. It's still a bit shocking to me, but...it's not so unusual for lovers to kiss...is it?" His words were only mildly subtle, and the underlying meaning was still quite clear. Surely Phoenix would catch on right away.

A bright smile lit up Phoenix's blushing face, and he nodded. "It's not unusual at all. In fact, it's so very common. I see people do it all the time." Well, this was partially true. He'd only recently noticed how many couples there were in the world ever since he realized his interest in Miles Edgeworth. Before that, he couldn't have given a damn. "Do...do you want...to try? Kissing, that is." He asked.

His index finger rubbed nervously against his cheek, and he shifted in his seat, not even knowing he did. Kissing... Kissing _Phoenix Wright._ True his lips tingled, ached, _burned_ for more of the feeling... It's not as if he didn't want it, no. Quite the opposite, in fact, it's just...he still couldn't get over how incredibly _wrong_ it really was. Did he want it? The fact stood that...yes. Yes he did. And that desire overrode any feelings of disturbance he could have felt, if only just barely, and it still didn't mask them completely. "Well...we are lovers now." His gaze had found the ceiling now, and he frowned. Wright should really keep his office cleaner, there were bugs stuck in the florescent light fixtures... Unprofessional. "And no one else is around... It couldn't hurt anything, since chances are high that we would end up k...kissing again later anyway. Might as well get used to the feelings now...right? P-purely so it will be less awkward later, of course." His own face had turned a lovely shade of pink by this point, and he reprimanded himself. He had too much pride, and he had already lost too much of it by that point... He didn't need to lose anymore. "Of course...if _you_ wanted to...it would be my duty as your lover to oblige..." He admitted. He was rambling now. But could he really help it? The situation was awkward, and he didn't really know how to cope with awkward situations!

Phoenix listened to the man ramble, rolling his eyes as he did. Miles was analyzing this way too much. So, he took a firm grip on that cursed cravat he'd learned to adore and pulled Miles' forward, pressing their lips together again. Edgeworth gave a surprised gasp. "You talk too much." Phoenix mumbled around his lips. "Just go with the flow. Don't think about it. Just act on what you want. Focus on that." Their lips met again, and Phoenix sighed almost blissfully, letting his eyes slide shut as his grip on the cloth in his hands loosened.

Miles was...displeased. Oh, not about the kiss, of course not. But Phoenix pulled back, incredibly surprised when Edgeworth swatted his hand away, pulling back to see one of Edgeworth's 'looks'. "I do not appreciate my cravat being pulled in such a rough manner, Wright. At least wait until I remove it before crawling all over me." And that's just what he did. As Phoenix stared on, aggravation and awe mingling together to form an entirely new emotion that he would have to find a name for later, Miles tugged delicately at the almost lace-looking material, untying the complicated accessory and setting it carefully down on the coffee table. "Alright. You may continue."

Rolling his eyes yet again, Phoenix sat back. "Maybe I liked having the cravat there. Maybe it turned me on." He teased, watching Edgeworth's face darken in displeasure. "...Okay, fine. You win. The cravat stays off." And he pounced on Edgeworth again, pressing his lips needily to the other male's. "Why would you consider me to be all over you?" He asked breathlessly, pulling away again. "I kissed you. I wasn't trying to fuck you senseless."

Miles sputtered, his attempted sentences being mangled into nothing more than an inaudible, garbled mess on his tongue. Eventually, however, the knot his tongue seemed to have developed seemed to loosen, and his words flowed more freely. "It was-! It was just a m-metaphor, Wright, I wasn't speaking in a literal sense, you moron!" Only Phoenix could fluster him that incredibly badly, Miles knew, and maybe the situation wasn't as bad as it seemed... After all, Phoenix was sitting there, giving desirable attention to him and him only, and not dead in a dark, secluded warehouse, a bullet through his jugular. Yes, this situation was much more preferred.

There was a snarky tone to Phoenix's voice this time. "You're blushing, Edgeworth." That knowledge seemed to make the man even more flustered, which made Phoenix smile. "I think it's kinda cute." He mumbled, leaning in again. He could feel Miles' breath, hot on his lips, as they both hesitated. Nick looked up at Miles with half-lidded eyes. "Are you...are you sure you want...someone like me?" He asked.

Edgeworth felt his back hit the arm rest. "W-what..?" Where had that question come from? Phoenix...was he..._insecure?_ Phoenix Wright? No, that couldn't...it couldn't...but...that's sure what it sounded like! It gave Miles a small twinge of satisfaction, though he felt a pang of guilt soon after for feeling that way. Still, the defense attorney was usually so confident, and Miles was sure that this was the first time he had ever seen the man quite like this. "Wright... _Phoenix._ It's four a.m. I called you out here for the sole purpose of confessing these previously hidden feelings for you. Why on earth would I do that if I wasn't absolutely sure what I wanted?" Smiling, he reached up, curiously toying with sharp black locks. "Besides, you make it sound as if you are inferior to me. I've lost more than my fair share of battles in court, you must remember." He chuckled. "Bastard..."

Phoenix laughed. "So does that mean that the great prosecutor, Miles Edgeworth, is my...as they call it..."uke"?" A huge teasing grin stretched across his fact at that. At the same time, his heart pounded with the way Edgeworth had actually said his name. His _real_ name. Not _Wright_. _Phoenix..._ He kissed Miles again, slowly this time, cocking his head into the gentle hand that caressed his hair. "Mmm..." he hummed softly, tasting the other on his lips.

Miles had, before he felt Phoenix's lips connect with his own, made a mental note to ask him what "uke" meant, and where he picked up his most "interesting" grammar. It was quickly forgotten, however, as the attorney, not quite good at kissing, but not bad either, began to move his lips, a gentle rotating motion over his own. He was getting lost in the sensations, and his mind had only just accepted the feeling of another pair of lips enough to be able to kiss back relatively successfully. It was only after that, that their skill level picked up. Just like in court, they worked together instead of having just one of them try to control the whole thing, finally able to pick up a rhythm that they both could follow, neither one dominating, neither one submissive. Miles felt light headed...and it was the most pleasant light headed feeling he had ever known.

When Phoenix realized that Miles was kissing back, his heart rate increased dramatically. Slowly, hesitantly, he brought his hand up to entwine themselves in Miles' silky hair, keeping him in place. The prosecutor didn't seem to mind this, however. He seemed all too eager to continue this strange business...this kissing. Phoenix could tell that this was really Edgeworth's first kiss, and that made it all the more special for both of them. "Miles." Before he knew what he was doing, the other man's name had been sensually whispered against smooth lips. "My...Miles.... My...Edgeworth."

Before the prosecutor could get out anything about "not being an object, don't refer to me as one", his thoughts drowned in the feeling of the lips on his own again. _'Hmm. Perhaps...I just need to lighten up. Stop being so critical about everything. No, I'm not an object, but he wasn't speaking literally anyway. I guess I'm just being stubborn.'_ Did he just release a soft moan!? He was enjoying it more than he thought he was...

The black-haired man froze and pulled away slightly, a goofy grin spreading across his face. Miles was blushing. "Did you...just moan?" He asked. The prosecutor crossed his arms, lips settling into an unconscious pout. "No. I did nothing of the sort." The grin turned devious. "I know you did. There's no point in lying. Besides, I think it was rather hot."

"Sh-shut up, Wright, I'm already embarrassed enough about revealing my feelings to you, there's no need to torment me any further!" His skin blended perfectly with his suit, and really, at the moment, he was more like one large mass of pink with a grey head of hair. He almost wanted to simply leave and go home, crawling under the covers to never reveal himself to the public again. He could always just get Gumshoe to buy his groceries for him anyway... "You don't seem to realize how mortifying it is for me to actually be _enjoying_ this! This goes against everything I've ever been taught, and yet...how have you been able to just turn it all around so _easily!?_"

Phoenix pondered that for a moment, looking thoughtful as he sat back. He knew well enough to give Miles some breathing space after the first few moments of kissing. "Well...I can't really figure that out myself. It's taken me this long to break past that wall you keep built around yourself." Pitch black eyes met steely ones. "You changed after your father's death. There's no mistaking that. But yet...I can still sense the old Miles in there. The one I used to know. The cocky, proud, stubborn, Miles is there, of course. But yet, there's also the warmhearted Miles that helped me out during the class trial. The one who was my best friend." A warm smile lit up his face again. "I'd like to rekindle the old Miles in you again."

His ability to make eye contact now completely gone, Miles turned his head. "Well...I..." He coughed slightly, his face flushed. "I see..." He was lost, most certainly not used to such sweet, caring, sentimental words. It made his heart beat faster, and his stomach tickle... "W-well, if you think you can..." Eye contact was becoming more difficult, yes...but at the same time, it was becoming harder and harder NOT to stare... because the attorney's robe had come undone. Not completely, but the knot was extremely loose, and Phoenix's boxers were completely visible. _'Damn you, Wright, I'd think you were doing this on purpose, if I didn't know how much of an idiot you were...'_

A soft laugh rang out the quiet of the room as Phoenix leaned back a bit more, unconscious of his robe. "I've gotten this far. Why not see if I can go all the way?" He reasoned. Edgeworth's ears turned dark pink at that, and he wondered why.

That last sentence was enough to make his mind flow over with all kinds of forbidden images. He scolded himself quite harshly on the inside, telling himself that _'It's far too early for things like that!'_ and _'Even if you wanted to, there's only a slim chance that he would as well!'_ He couldn't very well say any of this out loud, however, and so he simply muttered, quite embarrassed, "Your, ah...robe seems to be...umm..."

"What? Oh!" Phoenix flushed uncomfortably as his fingers tugged on the fuzzy fabric of his bathrobe, covering himself again. "Sorry, Miles. I shouldn't be stripping on our first night alone." A teasing smirk was given. "Of course, you being a proper gentleman and all, that's just simply not your way, is it?"

There was no answer from Miles' side. He wasn't sure what _could_ be said to that, not sure what he was _expected_ to say to that... He had been somewhat sheltered during his life with von Karma, so he was never really introduced to the concept of sex with other men. (Not like most normal people were introduced to that anyway... Except Miss Fey apparently, but...well...could one really call her 'normal'?) "I-it's not your place to tell me what is and is not 'my way'." Oh shit, he did NOT just say that out loud!

"Oh, isn't it?" Phoenix retorted. The comment had stung yes, but he knew that's the way Miles was. "Well then, you tell me what you consider to be 'your way', hmm?" He didn't miss the glare that Miles sent his way.

"That's something I have no obligation to tell you, as the fifth amendment gives me the right to remain silent." He answered relatively quickly, which was doing nothing for him, since the glimmer in Phoenix's eyes said that he knew something Miles probably didn't want him to know... Being sheltered meant that not only did he not have much experience with things like sex, but he also didn't have much room for releasing sexual tension...and that meant that he was quite curious about how it felt. Like hell he'd let Phoenix know that though...

Damn it. Edgeworth was right. But that wasn't going to stop Phoenix. "Well then, fine, Mr. "Let's-Get-All-Technical-Even-When-We're-Not-In-A-Courtroom"! Be that way." He smirked. "I'll just deprive you of this newfound addiction you have for my kisses."

He didn't miss it. That teasing gleam, that predatory glimmer... The other man's eyes shone with so many different things that it made Edgeworth dizzy, and he had to look away again. Phoenix's robe had slipped open again, though not as much as before, and Miles just _knew_ that when he swallowed, the defense attorney had seen it. His throat was getting tight, and he almost hoped that Phoenix wouldn't ask any more questions, because he wasn't sure he trusted his voice. But...he really did already miss those lips on his own, though he supposed he could withstand the absence longer than his lover.

Oh, sweet victory. He knew that Edgeworth was a strong man. He could hold out. But it wouldn't be for long. Phoenix's smirk deepened. Who would come out the winner? Would it be a checkmate, or game over? Heh, this game of theirs was really starting to get interesting...

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**Oh yeah! Finally, Chapter 3 is up and we're currently working on Chapter 4. No smut for you this time, because Edgeworth is such a purist like that. No really, Leto and I just don't want them to jump into anything straight away. Be patient, my little cupcakes! You shall have your Edgewright goodness soon. **

**Please review if you favorite please! We like both very much, and if you do, perhaps you'll get a hint of smut sooner rather than later. :3**


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